GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3263, 12 March 1885, Page 3

GERALDINE COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary monthly meeting of the Geraldine County Council was held yesterday morning in the Council Chamber, Messrs Maclean and Stewart's Buildings. ME3IBBBS FBE3BNT. Mr J. Talbot (Chairman), and Messrs Mackay, Balfouri Barker and Postlethwaite. Mr F. W. Stubbs, Clerk, and Mr G. L. Meason, Engineer, were also present. MINDTES. The minutes of the last meeting were .read and confirmed. COBBBBPONDENCB . Correspondence was read as follows : — From the Public Works' Department forwarding pertain payments on account of the Opihi bridge. From the Clerk to the Balclutha County Council with respect to local government, and requesting' that united action be taken on the matter. As the terms of tbo letter were rather vague the Clerk was directed to write to the Clerk of the Balclutha/ Council, asking what suggestions they desired should be adopted on the question of local government. From the Ashburton County Council, regretting their inability to entertain the ides of a stock and foot bridge over the Eangitata river. The Chairman said in the face of this replj they could do nothing now. It had been hoped that local bodies on both sides of 'the river would contribute towards the cost of the bridge, as the benefits to be derived from such a bridge would be about equal.. This Council would now have to inform, the pi©' motors that they could do nothing in th< matter at present. From Mr J. P. Maxwell, acknowledging the Council's letter re alteration of time-table &c, and stating that the Railway Depart ment were engaged considering the same. From the Public Works Department, ask' ing for further information (plans, &e.), about the grant of £553 applied for by the Council The Chairman said the Clerk had forwarded the desired information. From Constable Stanley, of Pleasant Point u * nB P ector Broham, officer in charge o: Jj° &■• C. force in this district, stating tha the Dog Registrar at Temuka had antedatec sevoral receipts for dog registration. Takini one of the two caacs mentioned by the polic< it appeared Constable Stanley went to i person's house on the 2l B fc of last month found he had a dog unregistered, and laid ai information against him ; that tho peraoi i, j went to the Registrar and got him to ante

j. date the receipt (19th Feb.), had produced i whon summoned, and the case had of coursi ,d been dismissed. The charge being fully proved, member! r, agreed that the best thing to do was t< i- cancel the Registrar's appointment "in conse queuco of his having improperly antedatec [- certain registration receipts," and the Chairman and Clerk were authorised to procure c t successor. ir From Messrs Philp and Jones, contractor* n for the Opihi bridge works, asking that the i Council reconsider its decision of last meeting i, re imposing a penalty for overtime, and point--0 ing out that it was entirely owing to the 3 timber not coming to hand in time that the 1 delay occurred. i The Council decided not to reconsider the a matter. 1 From the Clerk to the Geraldine Road e Boanl forwarding an account for material used in repairing the Orari traffic bridge. i The account amounted to £20 6s. a _ The Council resolved to include the amount • in the day's payments. From Messrs White, Smithson and Rayt mond, in reference to closing certain roads in f the Geraldine district, and forwarding the 3 documents for the Chairman to sign. S The Chairman mentioned that since last f meeting no objection had been sent in about • the closing of road line as shown on plan 120, - and therefore the road would now be declared closed. f From Messrs M. Mcßae and T. H. Wigloy, j applying for second-class slaughter-house > licenses.— Granted. I TENDERS. i For redecking three small timber bridges r .between Saltwater Creek and the Pareora > River the following tenders were received : — • R. S. Watson, £79 4s lOd (accepted) ; F. > Foden, £88 ss ; J. S. Darby, £115 6s 6d. For the construction of a masonry culvert - at Little Pighunting Creek, • the following i tenders were opened : — R. B. Sibly £166 8s - (accepted) ; S. Sibly, £186 4s ; W. Annand, ■ £219 5s 6d; D. McKonzie, £206; W. , McGill, £250 5s Bd. i Speaking of the tenders, the Chairman i informed the Council that the Engineer and himself, as directed at last meeting, had ; accepted a tender for tarring and painting i the Opihi bridge. They found the lowest i tenderer^ had made a mistake, and had ten- ■ dered thinking it was the old portion of the bridge only that was to bo painted and tarred. The tender accepted was that of Findlay and Travis at £109. engineer's report. Mr G. Laing-Meason, the Council's Engineer, reported as follows : — " Protective Works, Opihi. — These works have made good progress, and should the river keep low, they will be completed in the course of about a week. "Tarring and Painting Contract.— Thia contract has been duly signed by Messrs Findlay and Travis. They Lave so far made but slow progress with the work, but as they have just put on a large staff of men, they will no doubt carry on the contract more expeditioiwly in the future. " Redecking the Ternukn, and Geraldine Bridges. — Mr James Philp, the successful tenderer for this work, has ■ executed the necessary bond and agreements in connection with his contract. He informs me: that the timber should arrive • in about five or six weeks, when he will give the work every despatch. " Bridge in Woollcombe's Gully. — I have inspected the bridge, and have prepared an estimate for widening it. The bridge is of arched masonry ; has a 20ft span, and is 17ft 6in in width in the clear. It could bo widened by 6ft 6in on one side, making a total width of 24ft, at a cost of about £ — . " Stock bridge near the junction of Opihi and Opuha. — 1 have again inspected the site of this proposed bridge, with a view to reporting on the advisability of erecting a shorter bridge than was at first contemplated. I could not, however, recommend the shortening of the bridge, for unless it is carried across from bank to bank, tho approaches would go in tho first heavy fresh. As instructed, I have also estimated the cost of a 3ft 6in bridge at this point. lam strongly of opinion, however, that the 10ft design on which I reported last month, will be the more suitable in every way, and I would recommend its adoption if possible." The Chairman said before considering new works, he would lay before them a rough account of their financial position. The balance to credit after paying that day's accounts was £917 ; tho estimated receipts from licenses, etc., were £350 ; total, £1267. The liabilities were, including the works let to-day, £2190 odd. There was, therefore, a deficiency of over £800, that was including the payment applied for from Government for the Opihi bridge. Should the • Government grant this money, they would still be in debt some £300. Taking this into consideration ho thought it would be better to defer consideration of new works for the present at any rate. After some discussion it was resolved that the Council could not undertake the work of building a bridge over tho Opuha, as it is not on a main line of road, and that the question of widening the bridge in Woollcombe's gully bo deferred for the present. CATTLE TRAINS. The Chairman said it had been pointed out to him that the cattle trains had a possengor carriage attached to them, yet tho railway officials were not authorised to allow passengers to traTel by these trains. He thought stookowners and dealers would find it very convenient if they were allowed to take advantage of these trains. Tho Chairman was requested to write to tho Department and explain the question to them. ACCOUNTS. ; Accounts amounting to £818.14s lOd were passed for payment, and the meeting terminated.